Portable Device Event Access and Merchandise Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional paper tickets for events are inconvenient, prone to loss or theft, and pose security risks due to the need for separate databases of credit card information at venues, leading to inefficiencies and revenue losses from sold-out merchandise.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a portable consumer device associated with a payment account to grant event access and pre-purchase goods or services, which can be validated at the venue, allowing for secure storage and delivery of pre-purchased items through a system that generates validation data and notifications for delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If paper tickets are used for event access, then consumers can gain entry to events, but consumers must queue up for tickets, store paper tickets, and risk loss or theft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical paper tickets with electronic copies stored on portable consumer devices (smartphones, tablets, or payment cards). The ticket information is copied from the original purchase record to the consumer's device, eliminating the need for physical ticket handling, queuing at will call windows, and manual storage while maintaining secure access validation through electronic verification of the copied ticket data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical system of physical paper tickets with an electronic/digital system. Instead of handling, storing, and validating physical paper documents, the system uses electronic data storage on portable devices and automated electronic verification at entry points, eliminating the need for manual ticket processing and reducing queue times
2Reliability
If paper tickets are used for event access, then consumers can enter events, but tickets can be lost, misplaced, or stolen with no recourse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates electronic copies of ticket information stored on secure portable devices or payment cards. These electronic copies are protected by encryption and authentication mechanisms, making them resistant to loss, theft, and counterfeiting. The system maintains reliable access by verifying the electronic copy against the original purchase record in the database, providing consumers with a secure, recoverable form of ticket access
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized database system as an intermediary between the ticket purchaser and the event access point. This database stores the original ticket information and serves as the authoritative source for validation. When a consumer presents their portable device, the system queries the database to verify authenticity, eliminating the risks of lost or stolen physical tickets and providing a reliable verification mechanism
3Reliability
If separate databases of credit card information are maintained at venues for ticket validation, then event access can be controlled, but security risks increase due to proliferation of sensitive information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensitive credit card information from the venue's database system and keeps it only in the centralized payment processor's secure database. The venue system stores only non-sensitive ticket validation data (such as encrypted token references or validated status flags) that can verify access rights without containing actual payment information. This extraction eliminates the security risk of storing sensitive financial data at multiple venue locations while maintaining access control functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an encrypted token or validation reference as an intermediary between the consumer's portable device and the centralized database. Instead of directly storing or transmitting sensitive credit card information at venue access points, the system uses this intermediate token that references the original purchase without exposing the actual payment data. The intermediary enables verification while protecting sensitive information from proliferation
4Productivity
If merchandise quantities are estimated for special events, then inventory can be prepared in advance, but merchandise may sell out leading to disappointed fans and lost revenue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables consumers to pre-purchase merchandise before attending the event through the same portable device used for ticket access. This preliminary action allows the system to reserve specific quantities of merchandise in advance based on actual consumer demand rather than estimates. The pre-purchased items are then delivered to the venue and made available for pickup or direct delivery to seating areas, ensuring that fans receive their desired merchandise without sell-out concerns
5Ease of operation
If consumers purchase merchandise at the event venue, then they can buy items, but long lines form due to thousands of attendees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows consumers to complete the merchandise purchasing transaction before arriving at the event venue. Consumers use their portable devices to select and pre-purchase items online or through a mobile interface, completing payment in advance. The system then prepares the ordered merchandise for delivery or pickup at the venue, eliminating the need for consumers to wait in long lines at venue concession stands while maintaining the full merchandise purchasing capability
Data Source
AI summary
The utility of a portable consumer device is extended by allowing account holders the ability to gain entry into access-controlled venues using a portable consumer device that is associated with an account that was used to purchase the admission or tickets to the event at the access-controlled venue. Merchandise or other goods and services may be pre-purchased by the consumer. Pre-purchasing may occur at the time that the price of admission is paid or before entry into the venue. The portable consumer device may be validated at the entrance to the access-controlled venue. After the consumer's entry into the venue, an arrival notification alert may be triggered to provide additional goods or services. For example, when a consumer successfully enters the venue using the consumer portable device, the pre-purchased items may be delivered to the consumer location at a specific time.